Jade Green Grass and Cerulean Skies
by RainbowDrinkingSylph
Summary: One night Kanaya the vampire is out searching for a snack when she comes across a strange woman jogging at 2:00 in the morning. Something about her makes Kanaya's dead heart seem like maybe it isn't quite as dead as she thought it was.
1. A Stranger in the Park

Chapter 1

A stranger in the park

Bright light from a full moon illuminated a vampire as she crouched in the bushes, waiting for prey. An eager glint was sparkling in her eye while she hid. It had been so long, too long, since the taste of fresh human blood last touched her tongue. Licking her lips, she imagined what it would be like to take a bite out of the lone jogger unwittingly heading her way. Judging by the way her muscles moved, and the bright red flush that stained her skin, she would make a delicious target. Silent and deadly, Kanaya started to follow the human completely unaware of the trouble maker she was about to invite to wreak havoc on her life.

The girl she had chosen to be her next meal had long, wild blond hair that cascaded down her back nearly touching her butt. It would be good for grabbing. Since her victim was probably in good shape, running wise, having some sort of predominance was necessary if she planned on catching her. If Kanaya chose to, she could easily match any speed the human managed however it always felt like that took most of the enjoyment out of the hunt. Instead she preferred to run at the same pace she did before attaining super human strength. After all a game like this is no fun when you use cheat codes every time.

Another feature Kanaya figured she could use to her advantage were the human's glasses. Judging by the thickness of her lenses she had horrible eyesight. If Kanaya had any luck she would be farsighted. In which case Kanaya could just sneak up behind her and pull off the glasses before biting into her soft, pale neck, and drinking her fill. Then she would slip away into the night, leaving the poor girl with no idea who had attacked her. She would not even have a bite mark as evidence that the events had been anything other than a figment of her imagination due early morning/late night delusions. Kanaya's bite marks always healed in a matter of minutes, with no scabbing or anything.

After trailing the girl for about ten minutes Kanaya decided it was time to strike. The blond was resting against a tree, drinking water. Her neck was in a perfectly vulnerable position. As she drank from her water bottle Kanaya watched, captivated by the way her throat bobbed with each gulp of the liquid. It was almost as if the human wanted her to chomp down on her neck and suck her dry.

The blood pumping through her veins smelled so tempting her fangs started to elongate on their own. Slowly, she moved toward the woman, coming from behind; ready to spook her and make her run for her life. Kanaya always let them get a head start before she fed, because in her opinion the chase was the best part. Unfortunately for the vampire, and fortunately for the human, there was a bird resting on the bush where the predator hid. When she lightly rustled the bushes to get closer to her victim, the bird woke up and made enough noise to alert the blond.

At this point Kanaya was already halfway out of the bushes so trying to hide again would just look silly. Not to mention incredibly creepy and stalker like. So when the jogger turned her head to investigate the sound behind her she saw the vampire immediately. Much to Kanaya's astonishment, instead of ignoring her or walking away, the woman started advancing towards her with a wide smirk on her face.

"Heeeeeeeey there, Stranger. And here I was, thinking that if I started jogging at 2:08 in the morning I could avoid people. But I guess the city never really sleeps." Kanaya didn't reply. She was too perplexed by the amount of energy the human seemed to have even though she was running around so early in the morning. "So, you like to come here a lot, or is this just a onetime thing?" When she stopped walking she stood so close to Kanaya that the fumes of her blood were starting to make her dizzy with hunger. The vampire was too experienced to let her urges quell her manners however. She willed away her animalistic side long enough to respond, though her fangs desperately wanted to break free from her gums.

"I would venture to say that coming here in the early morning is borderline habitual. But I don't believe I have ever seen you around."

"Yeah, I guess you could say I'm new here. To this area anyway. We're in such a big city though, what does it even matter if you've been here five years or two months? It's still easy to get lost, and you wouldn't know everyone since faces just kind of blend in, amiright?" Kanaya couldn't help but nod her head in agreement. The immense numbers were one of the reasons she chose New York to be her place of rest for so many years. No one notices if a homeless bum goes missing, or if your twenty five year old face hasn't aged at all in nine or ten years. People are too busy with their own ever changing lives to care about petty things like the how old a smalltime fashion designer _really_ is.

"Truer words are very seldom spoken. May I ask where you hail from?" she inquires politely. Striking up conversations with strangers she intends to eat isn't something she normally does but for some reasons this person piqued her interest. Maybe it was the way she held immense amounts of confidence in her stance. Or the way she looked straight into Kanaya's eyes while they spoke. Or the way her blue lipstick managed to not look tacky at all. Whatever it was, Kanaya was trapped. It was like an invisible web had been spun around her keeping her still while the strange woman talked.

"No where special, really. I'm from a suburban town in Pennsylvania. I've always preferred the city though so once I turned eighteen I packed my bags and moved out here. I've been here about, 3 or 4 months I think? Chose here since this isone of the fashion capitals of the world. Fitting place for an aspiring model, hmmmmmmmm?" At the last question she struck a mock vogue-esque pose. Kanaya just stared at her in surprise. "I don't really have much experience or whatever. Like, I never modeled as a child or anything but the portfolio I put together is decent so I should be able to get in with a good modeling agency. Keeping my fingers crossed." She said showing Kanaya her crossed fingers with a cocky smile plastered on her face. She had a half grin half smirk that was incredibly toothy. It adeptly showed off her teeth that were so straight and white they could make any person jealous. "But luck doesn't really do jack shit for me most of the time so really I'm just going to have to rely more on my own hard work."

While the woman went on a tangent and ranted about how horrible her luck was, Kanaya took the time to examine her body with a more fashionable eye, rather than the predatory way she had observed it earlier. The girl was not ugly at all, but her choice in career was still surprising simply because it wasn't everyday one came across a girl with her body type who had so much confidence in their ability to be a model. Her hips were angular, yet fleshy and her bust was large. Her cup size was probably DD. From what Kanaya could tell by the tank top she wore, the jogger's stomach was probably a little bigger than desirable but calling her fat would be a vast overstatement. The sweat pants she wore were too baggy to give Kanaya a clue to how her legs looked but she assumed they were just average.

"Hey, don't look at me like that!" she laughed when she noticed Kanaya staring. "I know I'm a little overweight. Don't worry I'm not _delusional_. I plan on being a plus sized model. Those exist ya know." Of course Kanaya knew. She worked with models all the time. "Besides, even if I've got a lot of tummy, I also have a fine pair of legs, if I do say so myself."

Once Kanaya saw them, she agreed whole heartedly. Underneath the sweat pants hid two of the most perfectly sculpted legs Kanaya had ever seen, especially on a larger woman. As the porcelain appendages were revealed the vampire found herself wanting to touch them. They were like dancers' legs, only better because there was more to look at. Just looking at them gave her inspiration for a new dress designed specifically to show them off. "You truly _do_ have an admirable set of legs. They would be highly capable of flattering innovative pieces of fashion. Modeling would certainly be a fitting profession for you to pursue." Kanaya was not the type of person who gave out compliments easily, especially when it came to important things like fashion but the stranger she had just met definitely deserved it. She worked the meat she had on her bones in a very tasteful way. Confidence oozed out of her skin the way it should out of a true model's. She had just enough to be sexy but not arrogant or annoying. It almost seemed practiced.

Normally, when Kanaya found girls who wanted to become models they were cocky and thought as long as they looked pretty and could walk in heels that every modeling agency would want them. This girl on the other hand seemed to have her ego in check, for the most part. She was aware of her finer points _and_ her flaws which was very important. If she could maintain her bravado when placed in the real world then she would do just fine. But apparently she had only just left home a few months ago. She had not spent much time living on her own in the real world yet. She was still young enough to be naïve and have no idea what to do when it came to actually applying herself. Hopefully she would get her first job would with a good company.

After a few minutes of standing around, talking, they decided to start jogging again. The woman was under the impression that was the reason Kanaya came to the park in the first place and the vampire let her believe that since she didn't have any good excuses prepared. Also because she figured a little more fun with the human wouldn't hurt and she already had on the proper clothing for the activity. So when the blond said "I bet I can hold out longer than you." Kanaya had no reason to deny the challenge. Almost as soon as they started jogging the blond purposely picked up the pace and it eventually turned into more of a competitive race of who could run faster for longer. It was at least 25 minutes before the human conceded defeat to Kanaya.

The two of them sat on a park bench breathing heavily, Kanaya's breathing being feigned of course. There was plenty of light due to the city being ever lit but regardless it was still easy to tell by the sky that it was the middle of the night. They were no other people around. Just her and the woman she met who felt far too comfortable in her own skin. Kanaya's only thoughts at that moment in time were 'this feels nice'. The warm air coming from the human beside her, who was overheating due to the long run, made her feel a bit more alive than usual. Normally only feeding did that, which is ironic considering the fact that feeding was one of the things that made her least human. It just wasn't often that she got such a rush from doing something so innocent. When she looked over at her companion she realized she didn't even know her name. A stranger whose name she didn't know was capable of making her feel human again. Funny how the world work, isn't it?

"Dude, you are fucking **faaaaaaaast**!" The jogger shouted the last word at the top of her lungs and followed it with hiccups of awkward, euphoric laughter. "The last time someone matched me that well in a race was probably way back when I would run around with my sis." Yawning, the jogger rolled her shoulders back while cracking her neck. "I think it might be time for me to hit the hay. Goddamn you sure tired me out."

She stood up, stretching the muscles in her back and reaching her arms to the sky, rising to the top of her toes. Then she bent over completely, putting her hands flat on the ground right in front of her feet. While she was doing cool down stretches Kanaya took the time to appreciate the wonderful booty her apparently flexible new friend had. She definitely needed to make a dress tailored specifically for this woman and her assets. While she was lost in her thoughts thinking about all the different cuts and fabrics that would compliment her figure she failed to notice as the jogger finished her cool down. She didn't register her words when she talked about heading home and just absentmindedly waved good bye in response. It was at least another twenty minutes before she realized what had happened. By then it was too late to try and find her again.

Frowning at her lack of attentiveness Kanaya started to walk home, upset by the loss of her new muse. She decided that as soon as she returned home she was going to draw as many sketches of her as she could before her image can elude her memory. It may be viewed as creepy by some people but when you drink blood to sustain some sort of life, it becomes hard to views things as creepy.

As soon as she got homes she pulled out her sketch book and started to draw. The first thing she tried to remember was the details of her face. Her eyelashes had been long and very blonde. Beneath them were sparkling blue eyes. The color was so nice Kanaya made sure to color them in before she moved on to sketching the body. She would hate to forget that color.

After the face was done she started sketching the neck, shoulders, torso, etc. When she was finished the first part she realized the jogger had a very hour glasslike figure. Then she moved on to drawing her from behind and the sides. Soon after she added shading in certain ways to show the toned muscle definition. Once she finished that she started to add little bits of color. While she started adding laces to the joggers red sneakers she realized her infatuation with the human was not typical behavior for her. The last person she had been remotely interested in was Rose from back when she lived in Europe. Thinking back on it, Kanaya's initial feelings about the stranger she met was very similar to feelings she had when she was with Rose.

But could she really compare the two? Rose was sweet and delicate. They had many intelligent conversations. Being enamored with her made sense. This stranger however was unlike Rose in many ways. She was just… a stranger! No more than that. The only reason Kanaya was so caught up about it must have been because her body type was perfect for an upcoming fashion show she was suppose to be designing for.

At the thought of the fashion show her hand automatically flipped back to her unfinished designs. Staring down distastefully Kanaya considered actually finishing one of the many dresses she came up with. After 10 minutes of having no idea what to do with the half done clothes she decided to start from scratch.

It was almost Spring so she started out with flowery, off shoulder sleeves. She made the dress loose around the chest area then it lightly hugged the waist. The rest hung down lightly over the stomach and butt. It would reach halfway down the thigh then stop on the front and slope down in the back.

After the basic design was finished, Kanaya spent the rest of the night perfecting it. The end product was a beautiful, flowing dress with cool spring colors. At the top it was jade green like fresh grass, and then it blended into a cerulean blue, like the sky on a nice day. She couldn't wait to show it off to her design team. Unfortunately the sun still hadn't completely risen yet so they wouldn't be quite ready to observe her masterpiece. Instead Kanaya would start the day off by heading down to a modeling agency to find someone for them to test the clothes out on.

Before she truly went outside though, she would need to take a shower and put on a change of clothes. And maybe try to find some left over blood sitting in her freezer before she had to go out and face another day in close proximity with her only food source.

A/N: I don't really know _a lot _about fashion and the fashion world etc. so if there are any inaccuracies that you see PLEASE point them out. I love constructive criticism.


	2. An Acquaintance at Work

Chapter 2

An Acquaintance At Work

Showering always made Kanaya feel better after not eating. The scalding hot water, that burned her skin, made the blood substitute run through her veins faster which kept of hunger pains. Without a full stomach or intense heat to warm her she always felt kind of feral. As though she wasn't at all human, just a hungry beast trying to survive.

_You know what else makes you feel less feral? That girl from the park, _a small voice whispered in the back of her mind. Kanaya easily tuned it out. She was used to having her subconscious conjure up things that she didn't want to think about. There were always thoughts swimming in her head, related to unpleasant things happening in her life. Not that the stranger herself was unpleasant, but the feelings that arose due to her presence were similar and vaguely linked to a past event that _was _unpleasant. If Kanaya's thinking got to in-depth she didn't know what kind of suppressed memories would start resurfacing. Instead she opted for wordless images appreciating the blonde stranger's body. Those thoughts were okay. They had no emotions attached.

Even though it was pointless, Kanaya still wished she could see the woman again. For completely artistic purposes of course. Or at the very least to show her the dress she made that was inspired by solely her legs and eyes. If only Kanaya had at least asked for a name, then maybe there would be some sort of hope. But she did not even have that bit of information at her disposal.

Sighing Kanaya tried to shampoo away all the thoughts about that stranger. There were more important things to worry about. For example, how many models was she planning on hiring for the fashion show coming up? And what kind of fabric would her dress be made of?

With these lighter, less weighted things in mind she stepped out of the shower. When the cold hit her skin she hissed at it, like she could scare it away with her fangs. Even with her heat up as high as her budget would allow it still did not feel warm enough. It's hard not being able to retain body heat because your body is actually a corpse. It's hard and nobody understands.

While cursing her lifeless skin Kanaya searched her closet for something spring like to wear. Even though the slightest breezes made her shiver, she would bear with it for the sake of fashion. When living people think it is warm out they take the opportunity to show off more of their skin and God damnit if Kanaya wouldn't do the same!

If she was another vampire she might have to wear clothes covering up her skin to protect it from the suns painful rays, but when Kanaya was alive she had been born in Africa. The naturally large amount of pigment in her skin due to the fact that hailed from a sunny place was helpful in protecting her against the sun. Normally a vampire looses all the pigment in their skin when they turn, meaning no protection against the sun. Since when Kanaya was alive she was very dark, turning into a vampire did not take all of her pigment away. It made her lighter than before, but it didn't make her permanently unable to go into the sun. She used to hate her skin color and all the trouble it caused but after turning into a vampire she was infinitely thankful. If she had to never wear spring clothes again being a vampire would be unbearable.

Outside the sun was shining brightly, beating heat on Kanaya's skin. She relished in it while walking to the modeling agency she always went to for quality plus sized models. The way she picked out models seemed a bit cruel when put into words, probably because it was so similar to the way she picked out food. But she couldn't help the way her eyes had trained themselves to pick out the best. People who were large, but not in a way that was overwhelming or unhealthy, were her favorites to have in the work, play, and eating sense. She liked strength. She also admired intelligence. Finding such a perfect blend was difficult since brawn and brains are rarely a well put together combination.

While her preferences entertained her mind, her body was working on auto pilot. She was quite familiar with how the process went so she just let her subconscious go through the motions. Absentmindedly she nodded in the right places and examined all the different models, searching for the ones best suited for the job. Then a familiar face caught her eye. "Stop." She commanded the girl who was showing her different modeling portfolios. "Could you please go back to the blonde model? I think she might be an appropriate choice for this job."

"Sure thing! She's new, but she has a lot of talent and potential." The woman said, smiling as she flipped back to the folder Kanaya asked her too. When the vampire saw the face again her breath hitched. It was the woman she met in the park without a doubt. There was no mistaking the wild blonde hair, blue eyes, and self satisfied smirk she saw on photos resting inside the folder.

According to the files her name was Vriska Serket. On the outside Kanaya remained her normal, classy self but inside she felt turbulent. She couldn't pay attention to the agent selling her models if she tried. Her body was on auto pilot while her mind raced with thoughts. It seemed obvious that there was a chance they would meet again since Vriska had mentioned she was an uprising model, but what were the odds! It seemed like even though Vriska apparently had horrible luck, Kanaya had the best.

The rest of the trip passed by in a haze. She picked out a few models, and then gave the agency schedules for each model and when they should come. All the while the only persistent thought was 'I'm going to see her again.' Whenever Kanaya felt her outside actions suffer because of this revelation she chided herself for acting like such a lovesick school girl. She was too old to be acting so foolishly. They would meet, she would dress her, maybe some polite conversation would happen but after the show they would have no reason to see each other again. Kanaya was widely spread in the fashion world so they might work together a few more times but nothing but a professional relationship would be born. Getting attached would be stupid.

Even though Kanaya kept reminding herself that, she couldn't help it if her mind wandered. When she met with her design crew it was obvious how out of it she was but nobody said anything. She went through the normal actions of work, albeit a bit absentmindedly, patiently waiting for the models to come. No matter how hard she tried to concentrate on the papers in front of her, it didn't work.

When they finally walked through the door tried not to seem too eager but she couldn't help the way her eyes immediately found Vriska. Surprisingly Vriska saw her right away as well. Her reaction was instantaneous.

"You!" she called the second they locked eyes. Kanaya looked at her, just as surprised as the first time Vriska greeted her.

"I-" Before Kanaya could get more than a word out Vriska walked over with a grin that showed off her sharp canines. So sharp, that if it weren't for her trained eye Kanaya might mistake her for a vampire. But no vampire could have a natural tan like that. It was one thing to be born with dark skin, but her tan was obviously one that needed sun to stay.

"Woah, I can't be leave I'm seeing you here!" she said looking down at the fabrics and drawings scattered over Kanaya's desk. "So, you're a fashion designer, huh? That's so cooooooool. I can't believe I met someone with such a prestigious job in a park. What a coincidence? Also, you never told me this was your job! Even though I told you all about _me_ being a model."

As she prattled on about her experience so far and how this was her first **big **job Kanaya noticed the way other models were looking at her. It seemed like she had already won their respect.

"I see that the other models already hold much reverence for you. Could it be you only came over to assure your status as naturally aloft when compared to them?" Kanaya asked with her lips turned up in a slight smirk.

For a moment she seems taken back by the way Kanaya so bluntly put it. Then her shocked face pulled into a smirk mirroring Kanaya's.

"Maybe. Do you have a _problem _with that?" she asked leaning over Kanaya's desk in a way that almost seems provocative due to the way her shirt was low cut, giving Kanaya an eyeful of boobs. She discreetly glanced at it only out of the corner of her eye while managing to mainly keep green locked n blue. If the blond noticed her wandering view she didn't show it.

"Not particularly. I wouldn't go as far as to say being in your company is something I hold an aversion to so if you feel the need to establish superiority by flaunting a shallow relationship with your ephemeral employer feel free." Vriska stared at Kanaya for a moment before throwing her head back in boisterous laughter.

"Man, you are a HOOT Ms. Maryam." She said straightening up after her laughter died down. The simple action made her breasts jiggle a surprising amount. Kanaya wondered how she was able to jog so comfortably with such a behemothic bust. Judging by the way Vriska started laughing again then pressing her chest together, Kanaya accidently asked the question outloud. If it weren't for her dark skin and the fact that she was a vampire there would probably be bright red blush on her face.

"You mean these babies?" Vriska asked crossing her arms under boobs so they were even more prominent than before. "I bought some suuuuuuuuper expensive sports bras off the internet. They took forever to find, and they hurt like a bitch but they keep my tits in check so I just deal with it." Kanaya nodded in understanding. She never really had that problem but she often heard bustier models complain about how hard it was to keep fit bodies since exercising was such a pain in the chest.

"As much as I would love to continue to sit here and speak about the abnormal size of your boobs I believe there work to be done. Go back to the other models. They are currently speaking with Charles. He should be assigning you guys with your outfits, and such. The fashion show is in about a week and a half so we are trying to work quickly. Do not get to distracted or distract anyone else."

"Ay ay captain!" she said with a salute then ran off with the other girls.

For the rest of the day Kanaya's eyes were secretly trained on Vriska. Her mannerisms, the way she carried herself, her voice, her appearance, her chest, they all called for attention. It was impossible to be around Vriska and _not_ notice her. She was slightly obnoxious, but in a way Kanaya found pleasant. And she always smiled. There were almost no moments when her toothy grin disappeared. It was like she was born to be a model.

After a few hours of choosing who would wear what, the models had nothing left to do. A lot of the clothes were still in the pattern making stage so most of the women left, but a few stayed to help out with menial tasks like getting scissors or sharpening a pencil. Predictably, Vriska plopped herself down next to Kanaya. "Watcha doing?" she asked.

"I am trying to decide what kind of fabric would be most effective for this dress. With the direction I plan to go in, I will need to request a specific weave from a participating textile and I have already chosen the consummate colors but I don't know what cloth those colors should lie on. Perhaps you could provide me with assistance?"

"Uh, I don't really know a whole lot about actually making clothes, but sure! Since I'm going to be wearing this dress why not help out with making it?" Kanaya smiled at Vriska's eager answer. The woman had tried to hide how enthusiastic she was about helping but Kanaya was good at reading people. She noticed the way Vriska listened with rapt attention while she weighed the pros and cons of each type of fabric. It made her happy that someone was for once as interested in the many intricacies of fashion as she was.

The two women ended up staying later than anyone, mainly because they kept going on tangents that stopped any actual decision making from being done. By the time they decided the dress should be made of cotton chiffon, it was almost midnight.

"Do you always stay up this late, deciding on shit like this?" Vriska asked, yawning, as Kanaya started packing up her things. The vampire took a moment to think about it before answering.

"Quite often, yes. Being a fashion designer isn't as glamorous as some think it is. It requires hard work and dedication." She said. Vriska smiled at the answer.

"It's so cool that you put so much work into this stuff! Wow, I just can't stop talking about how cool your job is, can I? If I'm not careful you might get a swelled head." Kanaya allowed a small smile to grace her features.

"Don't worry about _my _ego. If there is anyone who is in danger of becoming too swollen headed it would be you. I've never met a person so presumptuous in my life and I work with women who have bodies seem handcrafted by the gods on a daily basis." Vriska scoffed at the remark.

"Whatever! Even if you work with models I'm sure I'm still the curviest woman you've ever met."

Silently Kanaya agreed. But out loud she said. "If that helps you rest comfortably at night, then feel free to tells yourself that." She scoffed again and gave Kanaya as harsh pap.

"Shut up! Let's just get out of here. Someone as sexy as me needs protection from the dark streets of New York at night." Kanaya cocked an eyebrow as they started leaving the building.

"What do you mean dark? The multitude of lights coming from lampposts and stores and the like keep this city resembling day 24/7." Vriska rolled her eyes and gave Kanaya another harsh pap.

They continued on like that for a while until they reached Vriska's apartment door. Kanaya decided that since she kept Vriska so late, it was only courteous to walk her home. They stood outside silently for a moment before Vriska asked, "Hey, do you have pesterchum?" Kanaya smiled gently, nodding. "Sweet!" she exclaimed then took out her phone before holding it out to Kanaya who entered in her handle then handed the phone back. "Grim auxiliatrix? Isn't that latin for, like, helper or something?" Kanaya nodded. "Cool. I'm arachnidsGrip. Uh, see you later I guess." She said as she opened her apartment door. Before she closed it she flashed Kanaya one last grin and a wave.

Once she was out of sight Kanaya let herself swoon. The entire walk back to her condominium was spent in a love drunk stupor. Well, _love_ was a bit of a strong word but she definitely liked Vriska a lot. And she couldn't wait to see her again.

The next time Kanaya saw Vriska was a lot sooner than she thought it would be. The models did not need to show up again until a few days before the show, since the clothes were still in the process of being patterned, and there wasn't much for them to do. They were told this when the modeling agency they worked for gave them the assignment details. Vriska showed up the day after her first appearance.

"What are you doing here?" Kanaya asked right away.

"There isn't anything important for me to be doing right now, so I was just walking around the city when I happened to pass by. I was like, "Hey, doesn't Kanaya work here?" So I figured I'd just pop right in and say helloooooooo, 'cause I'm bored." Kanaya's ebony brow furrowed in suspicion.

"Ok. I'll accept that as a suitable answer for _why _you decided to grace me with your presence. But I inquire, how were you able to get past the front desk without any sort of valid reason for coming? Even if we are not in possession of any important, arcane information we still don't allow people to waltz in and out of our building as they please."

"Getting in was **super **easy! All I had to do was intimidate the guy at the front desk a little by telling him _you_ told me to come. I mean, he's got some pretty impressive muscles and all but maybe you should invest in some better security. Like, hire someone who _doesn't_ start sweating buckets when you tell him it's an _order_ from his superior. I mean," Then she started going in depth about what exactly she said to him, and all his reactions, as she sat next to Kanaya on the bench in front of her working table.

Kanaya considered telling her to go somewhere else, because she had work to do that required a lot of concentration, but she had a feeling Vriska wouldn't have left no matter what she said. So instead of fighting an already lost battle, she kept working on drawing the pattern for her dress, while idly listening to her talk.

Everyone in the studio kept looking at them in a way that was probably meant to be inconspicuous, but to Kanaya was painfully obvious. Kanaya enjoyed peace and silence while she worked; having people near her under any situation made her uncomfortable. No one actually knew why it was like this, but they accepted it as a fact engraved in stone. When a random novice model suddenly worms her way into the iced over heart without even trying, it is obviously going to turn a few heads.

If Vriska was aware of all the eyes on her, it didn't show. But Kanya was beginning to speculate that she _always _had people staring at her, so it didn't faze her anymore. Or maybe she was actually incredibly oblivious. Either way Kanaya was thankful, because it would be awkward trying to explain why everyone was sneaking glances at them over their papers.

Kanaya had originally thought that having Vriska around would be like having a pest that she would just have to tolerate, but she was proven wrong. Having Vriska with her was more like having a child at work, but in a good way. Like it was bring your child to work day, that kind of thing. It was amusing watching Vriska find random things around to amuse herself with. Whenever she made a new discovery she would report back to Kanaya like she had done something remarkable. For the most part she just humored the blond.

"Looooooook! Isn't this the _softest _thing you have ever felt? I mean, fuck, can you imagine pajamas or something made out of this? It would be awesome!" Kanaya nodded in agreement, while straightening her ruler against a piece of paper before drawing a line.

"When I first purchased that fabric, my intention _was_ to create some sort of sleepwear for myself. I just never got around to actually sewing anything." Vriska gasped.

"You need to make me a night gown out of this. Pleeeeeeeease. Please please please please please please please please."

"Sure." Kanaya agreed.

There was a moment of silence. Kanaya could tell that in her mind the blonde was thinking this deal over, suspicious of her instant agreement. "Ok…..what's the catch?" she asked.

"There is no 'catch'. I will make you pajamas out of that fabric. There are copious amounts of it lying around my home studio, mainly residing in the queue box. As I said before it was my original intention to make pajamas so it will be no hassle at all."

"Oh. Are you sure?"

"Positive." There was another moment of silence.

"Huh. Thanks Kanaya." She said seeming genuinely surprised by her generosity. It made Kanaya smile.

"You're welcome." She relished, for a moment, in the bright grin that was sent her way, before focusing on her work again. Vriska's talking served as pleasant background noise.

They ended up staying until almost midnight again. Only this time a lot of work got done, instead of none at all. Kanaya would probably be able to finish the dress within a few days. Much faster than she needed too which left quite a bit of free time for her to work on the pajamas for Vriska. Not that she wouldn't have already had enough time, even if she the dress still needed a week of work, considering the fact that she didn't need sleep ever. She told Vriska that to assure her making the pajamas were no problem, leaving out the no sleeping part of course.

"Oh I seeeeeeee. That's why you were so ok with it. I expected you to be all 'I'm far too busy for your silly little requests'." She said, mocking Kanaya's voice.

"Well, in that aspect of my life you were quite incorrect. I am always in search of tasks to busy my mind and fingers. You can't even comprehend the amount of free time I have on my hands."

"I'll keep that in mind." Vriska said smirking. In her eyes Kanaya could almost see gears turning, but she didn't want to pry and ask what exactly Vriska had in mind. From the little information she gathered it could be anything from 'sew me a dress' to 'sew me a LARP cosplay'.

"Anyway, we better not get into the habit of doing this late night thing. It's going to be bad for my health! I can't afford to get bags under my eyes Kanaya." She said pulling down her bottom eyelid. "Like, literally, I need the money to pay for food and whatnot. Urgh, it's going to be really annoying when college starts getting hard and I have to keep up with my appearance." She whined rubbing her face.

"What college do you attend?" Kanaya asked, surprised that Vriska even went to college. It was the first time she had mentioned school so Kanaya figured that being a model was Vriska's primary goal and that education just got in the way.

"Barnard College. By the way, I've got classes tomorrow so I won't be able to drop by again and help you out. Sorry. I know how much you need to me with you but, eh, I'm a busy girl. I've just go soooooooo many irons in the fire." "What?" "What do you mean what?" "What do_ you_mean by irons in the fire? What kind of saying is that?" "It's my kind of saying. I've got a lot of irons, and all of them are in the fire. All of them, Kanaya. Don't question me." "…Ok then." Vriska cackled at Kanaya's evident confusion and the darker woman sighed. The rest of the walk back to her apartment was filled with lots of small talk. Before they knew it, they were outside of Vriska's door. They stood still for a moment, like the first time Kanaya walked her home. Vriska was fidgeting, and subtly opening and closing her mouth, like she had something she wanted to ask. Kanaya wasn't much of an instigator so she stayed silent, waiting to see what the other would do.

After a few awkward moments of standing outside her apartment, Vriska decided that whatever she wanted to say wasn't important. "Talk to you later." She mumbled before slipping into her apartment.

Kanaya lingered outside the door for a minute, in case Vriska changed her mind and had something extra to say. She didn't. So the vampire decided it had been far too long since her last meal.

After a healthy meal of 'obnoxiously loud chewing guy' and 'sobbing into her hands girl' Kanaya felt refreshed. It was about 4 am which meant that she had a few hours left to work on the pajamas for Vriska. The basic pattern, which she had made for herself, was already done. All she had to do was fit it to Vriska's body type.

Making clothes and fashion had been a passion of Kanaya's since she was young. Back in Africa she had always been the one to weave clothes for the children wandering around. When she was sold into slavery, her mistress's daughter had a passion for knitting so she passed the trade on to Kanaya. They had spent hours in her room just knitting blankets, socks, clothes, whatever they could think of.

Since then, Kanaya had grown along with technology and taken to using a sewing machine instead. But every now and then she would bring out her knitting needles old so her skills didn't get too rusty. The pace at which she knit was inhuman, and she wanted to keep it that way. However, to make Vriska's nightgown she would need to use her sewing machine.

After that night Kanaya fell into the routine a basic routine. She would get dressed, go to work, stay until at least eleven, have a snack in the park, then go home and work on personal projects. There was nothing she loved more than sewing, so she tried her hardest to fill up her days with it.

Occasionally, at work, Vriska would pester her. Their conversations usually started out with Vriska complaining about how bored she was, and Kanaya giving her advice on how to alleviate said boredom. Then it dissolved into meaningless conversations filled with interesting stories, playful banter, and more advice giving. Kanaya did most of the advice giving.

The vampire found herself very content with this schedule. There was nothing else should could really ask for at the moment, except for maybe Vriska liking her more than as a friend. But that wasn't likely to happen, so she ignored those longings. Keeping a leveled head was one thing Kanaya prided herself in, and a model with a pretty face wasn't going to walk into her life and destroy that. At least, that was what Kanaya liked to keep telling herself.

But the day before fashion show, Kanaya realized once it was over, Vriska would probably stop talking to her. What point would there be? The only reason she started talking to her in the first place was so that other people would think she had connections. But once her authority was out of the equation, what use would she have for Kanaya? She kept reminding herself that Vriska and her were in fact friends, and the Vriska had told her this many times. There was no way to tell how sincere that was though. Kanaya had met many people who would call her friend, but then stop talking to her. Not that she really minded. _Having friends is too dangerous anyway. Getting rid of her after you've done your job will save you from getting hurt. One day she'll die, just like the rest of the humans. You don't need them. You don't need anyone._

That night, Kanaya couldn't bring herself to fix up the pajamas. Tomorrow she would give it to Vriska and that would be the end. It wasn't her best work, but that was ok. Vriska would probably end up ripping them then throwing them out. That way there would be no connection left. Just memories that would fade away.

Since sewing would cause too many feelings, she instead read some of her vampire romance novels. They were all horribly inaccurate descriptions of vampires, but that was ok. She forgave the shitty authors for the ignorance and focused more on the love plots. It was a guilty pleasure of hers, that she indulged in whenever she was feeling low.

By the time she had to go back to work to help prep for the fashion show, she had finished two books. She placed them on the 'already read' shelf before leaving.

During preparation it seemed like every little thing that could go wrong did. Lighting got messed up. There weren't enough chairs. Music tracks were skipping. Someone thought they saw a mouse. Water was knocked over. Et cetera et cetera.

But in the end, it all came together. All the models were stunning in their spring attire. Vriska was, of course, the most stunning of all. The way the lights hit her hair and made it shine like gold. The way her blue eyeshadow brought out her eyes and made them twinkle. The way her dress flowed around her legs showing off their perfection. The way her shoes encased her feet making them look like some sort of item on display. It was perfect, and it took Kanaya's breath away. She was glad her dress had the honor of being on someone so perfect.

When the show was over Vriska found Kanaya immediately. "That was the most amaaaaaaaaing feeling in the world! Having everyone look at me like that…..I did it right, didn't I? Made your dress look good I mean. Are you happy you chose me to be your model." Kanaya stepped back and gave Vriska a once over. It took all of her willpower to keep from grinning like an idiot. She closed her eyes and let out a small chuckle.

"Yes darling. My dress had the most divine model in the area gracing it with her figure. 'a model of such high quality would surely never wear a low quality dress therefore that dress must be as high quality as they come!' is what all the judges thought. I could see it on their faces." Vriska squealed then brought Kanaya in for a hug.

"Sorry I'm acting like such a stupid little girl haha. It's just wow. My parents never thought I'd be a model and stuff and here I am now. It's a really, really weird feeling. Did you feel like this when you first got one of your designs on stage?"

"I actually don't recall the emotions that I felt. There was a torrent of them I'm sure. But I assume that I felt similar to what you feel right now."

"It's kind of hard to imagine you freaking out over anything though. You're always so calm and composed and shit." The woman sighed, and smiled sadly. "I know I say this a lot, but I really do think you're cool. I wish I could be as in control of my emotions as you are. But I'm always flying off the handle." She ran a through her hair looking at Kanaya with unfocused eys. "Yeah, life would be much less of a hassle that way."

"Can I tell you a secret?" Kanaya began hoping to lighten Vriska's mood. After her amazing show was no time for self loathing. The blonde nodded focusing back on Kanaya. "My placid exterior is actually just a mask constructed to hide the tempestuous emotions that run rampant in my mind. There are few people who are perpetually calm. It is just that some are better than hiding it than others. Overtime, if you keep practicing, it gets easier. I'm older than you so it's only fitting that I'm more practiced."

For a moment Vriska did nothing but stare at her. Kanaya was almost worried she'd said something too personal, but then the blonde's face broke into a large grin. "Do you _always _give people such good advice? Is that a thing you do for any troubled soul who wanders by? Because jegus that is the smartest thing I've ever heard anyone say!"

"Jegus?"

"It's a thing my sister says, shut up."

"Ok."

The two of them stood there, just looking at each other for a moment. Vriska looked like she had something else she wanted to say. Kanaya waited.

"So, um. I'll see you around I guess?" She said awkwardly rubbing at her arm, and avoiding the clear green eyes that could see what she was feeling.

"Yes. Farewell for now. I hope the fashion world treats you well." She held out her hand for a shake, but Vriska dragged her into another hug before walking, almost running, away. Kanaya savored the feeling of having their bodies pressed together, before she went to her office to pack up her things and go home.

It wasn't until she got home that she realized she never gave Vriska the pajamas.

AN: Sorry I took so long. The chapter is long so I hope that makes up for it? I've just been really lazy. The fashion portion of the story should be over now, and I'll focus more on the vampire and romance stuff. P.s. Can anyone guess who Kanaya's mistress's daughter is?


End file.
